


The Living Forest

by ivarara



Series: Hawk n Hum [15]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: aster is new baby...i love them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-16 21:15:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21277844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivarara/pseuds/ivarara
Summary: Leafwing and Lorelyn travel again to an unfamiliar spot.





	The Living Forest

**Author's Note:**

> leafwing belongs to @myladidntdeservethis, lorelyn belongs to @paranormalmidnightparadox!!!

The Living Forest is a twisting, breathing, lively place. The leaves, red and golden and orange, dance on their branches in the light breeze that drifts through the canopy. Foliage sways to and fro, performing their own serenade, weaving in and out of the falling leaves that had been jostled from their spots. The grass ripples in waves, tiny flowers bob up and down as they peek above the blades.

It’s genuinely peaceful.

No hostile bugs to be seen. No Infection, no ill-will, no...anything.

Just a lovely scene.

“I’ve been through here once, but never stuck around.” One passing bug explains to her friend. She’s short and stocky, an adventuring type of bug.

Her companion seems far more delicate. Grand wings frame a slender body, hair flowing in a golden shower off the top of her head.

“But I do know that it’s a safe, completely Infection-free place,” they hurry to add on after a moment.

The butterfly giggles at their rushed words. “I believe you, Lorelyn.”

Lorelyn deflates as she relaxes slightly. “To be honest, I don’t know if anyone actually...lives here or not.”

“Seems like an ideal place to reside, no?”

“I suppose.” Lorelyn strays off the path they’re taking to look around. “Leafwing, you see this?”

Leafwing patters over to peer over Lorelyn’s shoulder. “A path?”

“Well worn, by the looks of it.” Lorelyn scuffs a foot through the dirt. “And recently.”

Leafwing freezes. “Do you think--”

“Nah, I doubt they’d cause a ruckus. We can just tell them the truth: we’re exploring, just passing through here on our way to somewhere else. That’s reasonable enough.”

Leafwing wrings her hands nervously. “If you say so…”’

“Shall we follow it?” Lorelyn queries, though her mind seems set.

“I don’t know?”

“I think we should.”

“Then lead the way, dear.”

Lorelyn takes off down the beaten trail, Leafwing folding her wings in to follow carefully. The leaves tickle as they run over their heads and shoulders. Some of the plants seem to react to being touched, and twist to move out of the way almost politely.

“These plants are more courteous than some bugs I’ve met,” Leafwing remarks as she delicately touches a vine that writhes to wriggle out of her way.

Lorelyn chuffs. “A lot of things are, if you think about it.”

But Leafwing is distracted by something.

“What is it, honey?” Lorelyn worries.

Leafwing points further into the forest.

A shock of blue, among the warm reds, oranges, and yellows.

An unnaturally bright shock of blue.

“Oh.” Lorelyn stalls. “It’s probably nothing. Nothing at all. Still, let’s...go a different way.”

The swathe of blue moves.

“Oh, dear,” Leafwing recoils, scrambling to hide behind Lorelyn.

A mask peers at them.

“Hello?” Lorelyn ventures. “We mean no ill-will! Just a couple adventurers looking around is all.”

The mask blinks owlishly. 

“Leafwing, this is a vessel. I’m sure of it.”

“One of the Pale King’s?”

“Whose else?” Lorelyn looks back to the stranger.

The stranger looks back at them.

Then stands.

Oh, this vessel is fully grown. Taller than the both of them, cloak only covering half their body anymore, a bright blue bandana tied around their neck. They step carefully over a bush to approach.

Leafwing stays put behind Lorelyn, though the latter decides to go for a more friendly approach.

“Hello!” She repeats. “You’re one of the King’s vessels, correct?”

The vessel nods.

“A pleasure to meet you, then,” Lorelyn continues, smiling broadly. “What brought you here, outside of Hallownest?”

The vessel bristles at the mention of the kingdom.

“You didn’t like it there?”

_ Shake, shake._

“I don’t quite blame you, but it’s not as bad anymore.”

The vessel looks wary.

“The Radiance has been defeated. The Infection is receding. It’s quite peaceful.”

They cock their head to the side.

“You haven’t been there in so long?”

_ Shake, shake._

“Curious. I can’t quite blame you, however, this place is lovely.”

The vessel nods proudly, looking up into the canopy overhead.

“Do you have a name?”

They nod, kneeling to draw out the letters in the dirt.

“‘Aster’?”

_ Nod._

“Lovely name,” Leafwing chimes warmly, easing out from behind the other.

Aster beams brightly at them, eyes squinting in a smile.

“Dear Aster, you appear to have a stray twig stuck to you,” Leafwing continues, pointing to her head to show where.

Aster cocks their head again, then shakes. They tug on the twig once, then twice, though it doesn’t budge.

“They’re...attached?” Leafwing asks carefully.

Aster nods, flicking one twig and then another on their arm, near the elbow.

_ ‘Sign?’_ They try to speak through the common sign language developed by the vessels of Hallownest.

“Yes, we can understand that,” Lorelyn nods.

_ ‘Lifeblood,’_ Aster explains. _‘Fell, in Abyss. Lifeblood plant impale. Stuck. Grew.’_

“A piece of the plant...broke off inside you?” Leafwing asks, horrified.

The vessel nods calmly. _‘Not hurt.’_

“But...that’s awful! An awful thing to have to happen to a soul!”

Aster shrugs indifferently._ ‘Not Hollow.’_

“That’s no excuse!”

Aster stares blankly.

“She’s trying to say you deserved better,” Lorelyn butts in. “She doesn’t agree with how the King treated the vessels.”

Aster nods understandingly. They extend a slender hand in offering.

Lorelyn reaches to clasp it, but Aster jerks it back and holds a finger up._ ‘Wait. Show.’_

“‘Show’?”

Aster flattens their palm again, seeming to focus on it intently. After a second, a tiny sprout emerges from their ragged palm, growing and twirling as it grows and grows into a little blue bloom. They pick it carefully, then extend the flower as an offering instead.

“That’s amazing,” Leafwing stutters, delicately taking the flower. She turns it over in her hands, staring at it. “You can do that at will?”

Aster demonstrates by doing it again, procuring a flower for Lorelyn this time.

“Woah,” Lorelyn gawks. “That’s...unique.”

Seeming to rake in the praise, Aster beams another blinding smile.

“Can you control any other plants?” Leafwing questions.

Aster nods. They extend a hand towards a vine nearby, and the growth inches towards them, wrapping around their wrist delicately and questioningly. After a moment, they retract their hand.

“You can control the plants around here,” Lorelyn utters. “That’s amazing,” she parrots.

_ ‘Tea?_’ Aster queries warmly after a quiet moment. 

“You have tea?”_ Nod_. “We could spare a few moments to have some. Right, dear?”

“Of course!” Leafwing trills.

Aster leads them further down the worn path they had started, leading to a small hut wrapped in vines and moss and trees. Some leaves cover the door, which Aster brushes over impatiently, and they retract in reaction. They hold the door politely for the two adventurers.

Inside, a little moss creep is curled up on a blanket in the corner of the room, sleeping soundly. The leaves on its back are thick and lively, proving to be in good care. It purrs as Aster passes, looking up to the newcomers curiously. Leafwing reflexively crouches to pet the little thing, and its purr intensifies.

_ ‘Baby,’_ Aster explains eloquently._ ‘Little Baby._’

“‘Baby’ seems to be very happy here,” Leafwing comments. “I live in Greenpath, so I come across these fellas quite often. I’ve never seen one so...lush.”

Aster claps happily._ ‘Love, Baby!’_

“I can tell,” Leafwing hums back warmly.

Aster jolts. _‘Tea! Forget!’_ They dart off to some cupboards.

“Just as easily distracted as someone I know,” Lorelyn jabs Leafwing gently with her elbow.

“Funny. I was about to comment the same thing.” Leafwing jabs back with a loving smile.

Aster brings them cups and saucers, setting them down carefully while the tea brews. They pull a book from a shelf nearby, offering it to the two new friends.

“What’s this?” Lorelyn peers at the cover.

_ ‘Favorite!’_ Aster signs excitedly._ ‘Colors, shapes, plants.’_

“It’s a scrapbook,” Leafwing comments. “You made this?”

Aster nods proudly.

“It’s fascinating!” Lorelyn flicks through pages and pages of drawings, some colored and some not, other pages that have entire leaves taped to the page carefully to show off their real color. “I’ve never seen some of these colors in plants before!” She continues.

_ ‘Many, in Forest!’ _Aster ensures. _‘Stay sometime, see!’_

“We’ll be sure to, now that we know there’s a friend here,” Leafwing confirms happily.

Aster gets them their respective cups of tea, then sits and fiddles with a small twig as they continue talking. Lorelyn shares some of her adventures in and out of Hallownest, all the while, Aster stares intently at the little stick, twisting it in their hands expertly.

By the time Lorelyn finishes, Aster has completed their assigned task as well. They hold out a little flower crown, woven with more of the little blue flowers and leaves Aster sports all over their body.

“Oh!” Leafwing trills. “That was...quick! You’re very talented at this,” she smiles.

Aster holds out another little crown as well._ ‘For friends,’_ they beam.

“Well, thank you very much,” Lorelyn eeks astonishedly. 

“Sincerely! We have another vessel friend in Hallownest that is also talented at the little art of making flower crowns as well.” Leafwing chatters.

Aster perks up. _‘Sibling?_’

“Yes! You have quite a few siblings that are still doing well in Hallownest,” Lorelyn explains. “Hawk and Hum, Ribbon, Spindle and Thimble and Scratch and Ruth, the Painted One, Butter and Pwyll...gosh, there’s dozens that are still alive and happy.”

Aster is astounded._ ‘Okay?_

“Yes! They’re okay. They all take care of each other.”

Aster smiles again._ ‘Good. Happy.’_

“They deserve it,” Leafwing sighs. “_You_ deserve it.”

Aster ducks their head in embarrassment.

“She’s right and she should say it,” Lorelyn confirms.

Aster tries to shoo off their compliments bashfully.

“We do need to be departing, though,” Lorelyn comments sadly. “We’re expected in another location shortly.”

Leafwing nods sincerely.

_ ‘Escort you!_’ Aster offers.

“I could deal with an escort through this place,” Leafwing hums. “A guided tour, if you will.”

Aster claps and nods. ‘_Come, come! Show Forest!’_


End file.
